a good cause....

for those of you who have been with me for awhile you may remember i have a friend who owns and runs a rescue ranch in knapp, wi.

the honey do ranch.

donita has been living her dream and is one of the most selfless people i know.  she truely has a huge heart when it comes to her passion....taking care of animals. 

on more than one occasion she has allowed me to come to her ranch and photograph her animals and be with her horses.

i am so sad to say that this morning her barns burned down and 80 of 100 of her beloved animals she has rescued and taken care of perished also.  it is so incredible sad....and i know she is hurting tremendously because of the loss of her rescued animals.

i have not spoken to donita yet.  i have only heard thru friends and news reports of the incident.  what i do know is she is planning on rebuilding in the spring.  

if you could find it in your heart to donate even the smallest amount of money towards rebuilding her passion it would be wonderful. 

http://www.honeydoranch.com/

the website where you can find more info on her location and about her efforts.  please take the time to watch the quick video about her the local news station has done.

again.

this woman is a saint.

she has taken these animals in and created this beautiful service for others to enjoy in a petting zoo. 

until recently all expenses have been paid for out of her own pocket.  most costs were covered on a donation basis.

she just received approval for a non-profit.

her helpers are ALL volunteer.

she loves these animals and has rarely turned one away.  and when one is adopted out...she does extensive screening to secure a safe enviroment/home for them.

this fire has been devastating.

please consider a small donation.

http://www.honeydoranch.com/

in beauty,

Pamela

a little of this, that and an obsession....

a good friend of mine was kind enough to accomadate my little obsession with horse legs...

one morning in early july he brought me into the "backside" of canterbury park.

translation....backside = where the horses are boarded, cared for and trained for race day.

i stumbled across this gentleman...

the farrier

he takes care of the horse hooves.

horse legs....lead to hooves

~*~

i had no problem watching him work...

~*~

it was fascinating.

i wish i would have asked him questions.

~*~

oh!  hello pretty.....

~*~

i love the stirrups on saddles.

i love how boots look in stirrups.

~*~

moving along ~~~>~>>~~~>

~*~

this is the practice track where horses train.

~*~

i was fortunate enough to stand (squat) right up it in order to photograph

my

obsession

~*~

horse legs....

~*~

coming and going ~~>>~~~>>>

~*~

i really cannot explain why

i am

obsessed

with

horse legs...

~*~

but they are magnificent

~*~

and i find

so much strength

and

beauty

in

them.

in beauty,

Pamela

day 162...365 project.

smile....

gotta love it when they smile for you ~**~*~~*~

samuel...

this is samuel...or sam as i know him as.

he has been in the presence of horses most of his young life.

his comfort level is amazing.

~*~

he was working a rodeo when i shot these photos.

~*~

sam has a passion.

~*~

and he is following it

at a very

young

age.

perhaps it will change as he grows older.

~*~

but does it really matter?

he is living his dream

at the age

of 17.

in beauty,

Pamela

day 161...365 project.

horse gossip...

day 159...365 project.

day 156....365 project.

cowboy sam...

walking away~~>~~>~>>

an ambitious and passionate 17 yr old

living his dream.

on this particular day he was working a rodeo.

in beauty,

Pamela

picture summer...day 10.

day 10 assignment....memory maker.

i am finishing up my 40th year in life.  the day i turned 40 i felt there were going to be many changes in my life this year....and there very much has been.  a loss of a job/career, a divorce, a loss of material items such as a home and coveted garden, and so many other changes one can't even imagaine including the loss of who i thought i was....keyword  THOUGHT. 

i am learning who I AM...and am returning to mySELF thru the process.  and the amount of personal growth has been an amazing journey...one that will continue on~~~>~>>~~>>

so when i think of a memory maker for this project...HORSES come immediately into my mind.  throughout this 40th year of my life, horses have shown up continuously...thru friends, clients, aquaintenances and adventures...they just show up.

i will remember this year as 

the year of the horse.

so fitting...

as 

horses symbolize

FREEDOM 

GRACE

STRENGTH

ADVENTURE

and

PERSONAL POWER.

and

that has been

my

40th year.

in beauty,

Pamela

day 151...365 project.

legs...

horse legs...i have a small obsession with them.

day 146...365 project.

trinket....

day 145...365 project.

day 142...365 project.

my youngest son judged a skateboard contest at a local carnival the other evening....i enJOYed color~FULL eye candy ~~*~*~~*~

day 139....365 project.

mother and son...

day 129...365 project.

and they are off...

i shot this just as the gates opened~~~~>

a couple of things....

i just had to let you know about a couple of things....

this guy is known as an OUT RIDER....

usually this particular gentleman has a cigar.

OUT RIDERs lead the horses OUT of the paddocks and onto the track before a race starts.

hmmmm...what is he looking for?

ohhhhhh....his fellow OUT RIDER.

and...

i figured out my obsession with jockeys...

they remind me of fairies riding horses.

i am sure they would greatly appreciate my comparison.

and...

this is the rail...which to me is beautiful in itself.

but...

with horses in motion

the moment

changes.

the thunder of the hooves

can be felt

in my entire

being.

very

power~FULL.

in beauty,

Pamela

at the gate....post time

as i spoke of in a previous post....canterbury park has been providing me with a visual playground ~*~***~~

at the gate....post time...

i love the gate.  it involks a feeling of excitement, nervousness, nostalgia, history, fascination and so much more.

the arches on the gates are splendid....so much history behind horseracing....

waiting for the horses as they approach....

loading the gate....

i wonder what conversation goes on between the jockeys during this time?

do they "shop talk"?

are they nervous?

are they excited?

are they concentrating?

hmmmmm...what about the horses?

are they having their own experience also????

on occasion they do not like to enter the gate....and they need a little assistance...

note:  when the horses/jockeys are loading the gates one at a time....the color combinations are fabulous....the decorator in me is jumping for joy :) and my eye is so happy ~*~*~*~*~~

last one in....

waiting for the bell....

in beauty,

Pamela

at the track....

my friend owns a racehorse....
~*~dancehall roxie ~*~ (more about her in another post...but isn't she gorgeous???)

this is his passion....horse racing...the fine art of handicapping who is going to win...come in 2nd...or 3rd.  he enjoys putting the pieces of the puzzle together....a major "brain" workout.  he is forever sharing his excellent and vast knowlege with me....and i do enjoy listening and learning.

but....

so cannot handicap....i know my limitations....too many puzzle pieces....and i would rather observe...investigate...discover...feel and enjoy what the atmosphere is offering my lovey~self.

this is canterbury park...in shakopee....a stomping ground for me this summer.....a place for me to play visually ~***~*~*~*~*~*~*~~

in the paddock...where they parade the thoroughbreds around before their race.  i love the steeples on the buildings here....and i love admiring the horses....

the horse owners and invited friends are the only people allowed inside the paddock...i am always in awe over the friendly competitive nature and gracefulness between the owners.  that....and i have never shaken so many hands in my life outside of the paddock.

oh! oh! oh!

here come the horses!!!!

i can never remember what the proper name is for the person who is walking the horse around. 

i am sure i have asked close to a zillion times.....

but it eludes me.

thus...

i do not handicap.

i observe...

and

admire...

and

ask alot of questions.

i want her job.

wait...

mmmmmm.....it is the jockey....talking to the trainer.

(the trainer?  only because i asked)

what is it about the

jockey???

i have always been fascinated with the jockey....must date back to when i was about 11 and my parents took me to the track in winnipeg...i believe i was fascinated by the jockey then too.

oh!

i have decided

i want his job too.

i love it when they mount the horse.

such ease

and

confidence

and

so very

graceful.

i never tire of watching it.

just beautiful.

and they are off to meet the lead horses to enter the track.

to be continued...

in beauty,

Pamela